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How to encourage sugar intake during hypo?

N

nikon2481

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi there. Can you help? What’s the best way to get sugar in me when I’m being obstinate or belligerent during hypo? Usually I get normal levels by having orange juice to raise glucose but my partner struggles to get through to me when I go beyond a certain level. I can be very stubborn when I’m low. All my own fault. Many thanks.
 
@nikon2481 obstinacy is definitely a problem when low.
My advice would be do not let yourself get so low your own brain will not alert you to getting that juice down. Hopefully you have a CGM. Set your alarms for lows at a higher level and take action at that point. Even if just one dextrose to steady the ship.
 
Thank you becca. That’s good advice. I have a libra sensor so I’ll look at the reader alarms. Appreciate your time.
 
I found the best bet was for my partner to not argue with me, as otherwise I would become even more stubborn.

I think saying please often helped, and just asking me to take one of something (jelly baby, skittle, something you would actually quite like to eat), at which point I would realise it's working and become rather more willing to accept that I may be a bit low.

Since having a CGM, the alarm/my looking at my phone or watch simply tells me if I'm low so there's no longer any argument to be had.
 
Thank you Simon. That’s sound advice. Really appreciate your thoughts. Jelly babies to the ready!
 
Hi, I live on my own, but my youngest daughter grew up with me having hypo's and she's brilliant at taking control when i had abad hypo. Any friend or family member threatens me with 'going to 'hospita (in a calm way) ' that's what I told them to do, If I'm petulant or obsanant and it works. Also having the Libre now has really helped me.
 
I told my friends something very similar to what @Robinredbreast also told friends
ie I told them to threaten to take me to hospital, because even through the me being totally totally un cooperative and trying to fight help off that threat would make me do it cos I certainly did not want to go to hospital

And yes this was way back before CGM's
 
Robin and Rokaab, that's a good tactic. I certainly don't want to go to hospital. During my last hypo my Libra didn't buzz or sound – I'm using the handheld monitor rather than my iphone due to it not working. The alarms are all set to alert me if too low/high. On this occasion, I was sleeping and partner noticed that I was having a hypo. It was a real stresser to her to get me to take the fruit juice. The more she shouted, the more I refused. I would hate to be in her shoes. Thanks for all your advice. I'd take heed.
 
nikon2481 said:
Robin and Rokaab, that's a good tactic. I certainly don't want to go to hospital. During my last hypo my Libra didn't buzz or sound – I'm using the handheld monitor rather than my iphone due to it not working. The alarms are all set to alert me if too low/high. On this occasion, I was sleeping and partner noticed that I was having a hypo. It was a real stresser to her to get me to take the fruit juice. The more she shouted, the more I refused. I would hate to be in her shoes. Thanks for all your advice. I'd take heed.
Click to expand...
It might be worth getting your doctor to prescribe a glucagon injection which your partner can inject if you are too low to swallow...
 
nikon2481 said:
Robin and Rokaab, that's a good tactic. I certainly don't want to go to hospital. During my last hypo my Libra didn't buzz or sound – I'm using the handheld monitor rather than my iphone due to it not working. The alarms are all set to alert me if too low/high. On this occasion, I was sleeping and partner noticed that I was having a hypo. It was a real stresser to her to get me to take the fruit juice. The more she shouted, the more I refused. I would hate to be in her shoes. Thanks for all your advice. I'd take heed.
Click to expand...
When a person is low it is similar to being drunk in that the brain isn't able to differentiate between help and threat. Many years ago my parents had to hold me upright against a bedroom wall and tried to use tepid sweet tea. I apparently punched my father in the face. If your partner talks to you while you are semi-conscious, the first thing is not to ask questions because they require thinking about. If they say "You need sugar, here is some" it is more likely to work. I have reacted in many unexpected ways, even bursting into tears in my 40s! If I was at home, I found pineapple juice acted the fastest, or other fruit juices and Lucozade. But Lucozade, which used to be available only at chemists (50 years ago+), has now been weakened. I hope life becomes easier for both of you!
 
nikon2481 said:
Hi there. Can you help? What’s the best way to get sugar in me when I’m being obstinate or belligerent during hypo? Usually I get normal levels by having orange juice to raise glucose but my partner struggles to get through to me when I go beyond a certain level. I can be very stubborn when I’m low. All my own fault. Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Well, first, you need to be sure of when you are feeling weak or having hypoglycemia,
Al things being equal, get a coca-cola, this has sugar that has an immediate release to help adjust your hypoglycemia
 
Hypostop (or indeed anything else with glucose in it) can be directly absorbed though the cheeks (inside the mouth of course), which is another option if you're actually unresponsive. I'm not sure whether the logistics of popping you in the recovery position then applying enough (but not too much) hypostop would be better or worse than fiddling with the glucagon!
 
Hi,

I’ve never had this issue.

But I am familiar with a form of “denial” with a bass player I was in a band with & in one case with someone else.violence with a hypoglycaemic customer.
On spotting the bass player’s erratic behaviour, I just leave treatment under his nose. With the customer… after fighting the guy off. I hit him squarely in the forhead with some of the higher sugar content merchandise we sold.

I would agree that the least said, the better.. The customer already had the difficult task of trying to fill his tank of petrol..
 
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